A son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has attacked his father’s successor, Uba Sani, over his complaint about the loans burden he inheritted from Mr El-Rufai.

Governor Sani said his administration was finding it difficult to pay workers’ salaries because of the repayment of the state’ huge debts.

The governor said the administration inherited $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the administration of Mr El-Rufai.

Mr Sani lamented that due to the rise in the exchange rate, the state is now paying back almost triple what was borrowed by the previous administration.

Reaction

In an apparent reaction to Mr Sani’s remark, the son of the former governor, Bello El-Rufai, in a tweet on X said the governor was only trying to cover his administration’s incompetence.

Mr El-Rufai claimed that the governor had “deflected” from his responsibilities and abandoned his duty as governor.

“These guys have realised that they are wholly incompetent and the only way to mask the nonsense is to deflect. From a Governor who is always sleeping in Abuja to a litany of incompetent aides who were only rewarded for foolish political reasons,” he said.https://x.com/BashirElRufai/status/1774112565737500778?s=08

Kaduna’s debt burden

Daily Trust newspaper had reported that Sani made the statement in Kaduna on Saturday while addressing a town hall meeting. The governor said the huge debt burden was eating deep into the state’s federal allocation.

He explained that N7 billion out of the N10 billion federal allocation for the state in March was deducted to service the state’s debt.

The governor lamented that the N3 billion left from the allocation was not enough to pay salaries, as the state’s monthly salary bill stands at N5.2 billion.

However, Mr Sani said despite the debt inherited, his administration has not borrowed “a single kobo” in the last nine months of his government.

“Despite the huge debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.

“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly. It gladdens my heart to inform you that despite the huge inherited debt on the state, to date, we have not borrowed a single kobo,” the governor said.

The governor further said the key priority areas of his government include safety and security, housing, education, healthcare, and support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

He said his government would also prioritise inclusive development by investing in human capital, stimulating the economy, and providing affordable housing.

Governor Sani at the town hall meeting highlighted some of his administration’s top priorities for 2024 including safety and security, infrastructural development, education development, housing and urban development, social intervention, and investment drive, among others.

PT